The Troubadour smiled. “In only three hours comes the midnight of this planet. Terra One will die! But even as it falls the sky will be filled with the growing hope of Terra Two. It is a world that you will never enter, World Hater.”

“You cannot kill me, nor control me. I go to any world I wish. I once brought civil war to Lifeland itself. Have you forgotten?” The Prince of Mirrors sneered at the world growing above the flames.

Invictrix soared abruptly back through the flames and settled suddenly. Surprised, the Dark Prince stumbled backward and fell ingloriously to the charred ground. He looked up at Ansond who trailed a long chain of heavy links.

Light-Raider pawed the earth and it opened in an awesome rift. From the great scar the Hater could hear the moaning from the Canyon of the Damned.

“No … no!” cried the World Hater.

The Singer leapt from Light-Raider. The ancient struggle began again in fury. Hate tore at Love for the remaining hours. Terra Two loomed larger and larger until it filled the sky. Close to midnight, the World Hater in desperation flung his sword at the Troubadour.

The Golden Knight now entered into the struggle. He grasped the discarded sword and wielded it to split away the Hater’s torn and dented armor.

Evil stood naked.

Ansond knew he could not put an end to the evil prince with the sword, for they had both been made to live forever. So he took the chain and wound it round the Hater’s wounded body.

The Hater cursed the Singer and his Golden Knight and poured his scorn on Terra Two.

Dreamer beheld the final moments of the ancient struggle. The World Hater would live forever but never move again. He would hate but never enter Terra Two.

Invictrix nudged him toward the great rift. Over and over he rolled. At the edge of the crevasse Invictrix nudged him one more time. He tumbled into the abyss and plummeted away.

The ground closed.

Dreamer followed Ansond and the Troubadour back to the waiting army. The soldiers like himself were all unharmed.

The War of Fire was over.

The Singer led the Army of Liberation back upon the skyway.

At midnight the two worlds collided. Terra One split away and then dissolved. Terra Two rolled on in youth.

XXIV

An old astronomer clasped his protégé and said,

“If Polaris dies tonight,

Be assured some greater light

Will take its place.”

Ansond guided his mount above a mountain range. He saw the spires of the City of the Troubadour. A lovely city without walls, for walls though not forbidden were forgotten. In worlds where evil has not come walls never come to mind.

Invictrix skimmed a sunlit tower and flew down to the plaza where the children played. The steed alighted. Ansond walked through an arched portal and saw the Singer sitting with his lyre. He saw Ansond and rose to meet him.